[Anton 2]

In my 30 year-old Alan Titmarsh book I see on his calendar that turnips can still be sown in the open  ground now. Is that possible?
Also in the latest gardening newsletter from this website, they talk about sowing carrots.  That would be in a greenhouse, I suppose!

Anton

[Goosegirl]

I don't know about turnips but I have successfully grown carrots in my greenhouse but didn't sow them until  about mid-March.

[Growster...]

A short carrot can be sown now, and will get to a decent size by close of play!

We only sow in buckets during the year, to deter the fly, but it's worth popping a few in the ground now as by the time they show, most of the flies will have gone!

I'd say parsnips would possibly be very small, as they really do need a long season, but hey, why not? They're lovely even as tiddlers!

[Anton 2]

Thanks for the replies.

Anton

[lettice]

I sow baby type carrots in pots up till end of September outside.
I grow these in succession outside from March, every few months.
In about three months I am picking them when they are around 1-2 inches long.
Touchon and Amsterdam Forcing are the ones I grow.
I have tried Chanteney a few times later in the season, but they do not grow into anything worth picking from sowing about July onwards. So some varieties are better than others.

Have tried Turnips from August/September outside in the ground and raised beds.
They do grow, but produce small, not quite golf ball size turnips. They also produce a lot of top leaf, that I know some eat. Its as if they are reaching for the sun and want go to seed quite quickly if not trimmed.

[Subversive_plot]

Lettice, turnip greens are one of my favorites!  I actually grow turnips more for the greens than the roots. Roots if I get them are a bonus.

The greens should be thoroughly cleaned, coarsely chopped, then briefly cooked in salted water first and then drained.  Then cooked like any other green. Excellent as a part of an Indian saag, but also very good with some chopped onion and smoked turkey or pork. Add diced turnip root if you have it.

[Anton 2]

Thanks a lot for all this advice.

Anton